20 the SHADOW with TWO FACES (1/2)

The marvelous doors of the grand War Room in the Palace gently swung open, much like with magic being pulled by an unknown force, as Prodea entered and walked the aisle together with Karr and Zeba. The six knights standing behind the Duke immediately snapped to attention as they greeted Prodea's presence in the grand hall. All are wearing a full helm with angry eyes peering in the slits that leaks out both disappointment and frustration,

”Grand Princess Prodea!” shouted the Duke standing up as she went in front of them finding a seat across the table where they all are.” What is the meaning of this? We have been waiting for hours! Do you treat all your guests this way?”

”Oh Duke, I'm so sorry about all of this,” she apologized with sympathetic eyes – an unusual thing for her, Zeba noted, ”It has been very, very hectic these past few days and we don't mean to…”

”Sorry?” interrupted the Duke laughing, ”Forgive my bluntness Grand Princess but I think your sorries wouldn't grant an inkling of comfort from me and from my men especially after the loss we just suffered. You have assured us safe travels here only for us to find that just hours ago my three galleons filled with soldiers and machines were lost at sea by your fiendish sea serpent! Duke Rumilo is in that vessel! He's a highly respected member of the Council of Leonus. What would you suggest I tell the Emperor about this rather dreadful mishap? Would I tell him you're sorry? Would that make my Emperor sigh in relief?”

Prodea stood up looking down bowing as if taking responsibility. This concerned both Karr and Zeba, surprising them both. They wouldn't know that they would live to see Prodea being humble, much so taking the blame. ”I am deeply sorry for this unfortunate tragedy that befell both our Kingdoms,” she implored with her convincing sad eyes, ”I will see to it personally. I assure you that this will not happen ever again. I can only hope that this will not affect our relations.”

The duke silently grunted as he took his seat and saw Prodea turning his back to exit the room.

After a few seconds of silence, the nearest and oldest Knight at his back coughed up a question, ”Your Grace, what shall we do now?”

”We wait,” said the Duke with glaring nostrils as if tensed, ”Prodea will do her part as she always does.”

The Knight posed further as he went near him removing his helm to reveal his sad but serious face. He has a puffy look filled with bushy but perfectly trimmed circular beard all having a tint of white accentuating his old age.” Can we trust her, my lord? She seems to be hiding something.”

”Yes. I know her too well, Sir Echon. She is stubborn and full of pride, but I trust my life to her if worst comes to shove. If she said she'll handle this personally then you can bet even your life that she'll clean this up perfectly without fail.”

”Do you need to send your scouts my lord,” entered the youngest knight at his left as he sat on the edge of the table. ”We can survey the problem…”

”NO!” he shouted terrified, ”You do not take matters in your own hands here, Sir Julius. Not in these lands. I know that you're hiding the assassination squad in your regiment masking them as scouts. If you can do these things freely in our country, you most certainly can't do that here.”

”I respectfully deny that sir, I do not handle an assassination squad,” smiled Julius playing with his dagger, ”And besides, we've been assessing the natives. Their physique is untrained so we can assume they're weak. If ever there was an assassination squad at all, they can wipe them all out without having a single trouble.”

The Duke just scoffed at his statements.” That's where you're wrong. They are deceptively strong. If I was to wager in a battle to the death between you and some commoner here, I would bet against you any time. I would even bet my daughters against you, that's how sure I am. That's how strong they are, so I suggest you keep things to yourself and just enjoy the time here instead of this nonsense.”

”I'm just saying…”

”Enough Julius!” shouted Echon with serious eyes, ”Stop embarrassing yourself. You are here to protect the princesses not to voice out your opinion. Remember your oath to the flag. Just follow your orders!”

”Yes, Father,” he replied irritated jumping out of the edge of the table returning his dagger to his sides.

-------ooO0Ooo-------

”Grand Princess,” whispered Zeba, ”Are you alright?”

Prodea stopped from his brisk walking infuriated. ”NO! I'm not ALRIGHT! Do you think I'm alright!? What kind of a question is that!? Are you mocking me!?”

Zeba was frightened with his fiery eyes putting up her usual frightful rants. She just shook her head in agreement looking agreeable.

Her Amplifyers started to glow but she managed to calm down subduing its intensified lighting and returned on her pace.

”If it's not with those wretched people meddling in my plans I've been done with the preparations by now! First, it's Artemus, next is his demented offsprings, then the Elves and now Bakunawa!”

With a fearsome scream, all of the vases from the hallway began exploding as all the water contained within it turned into thorns scratching all the of the hallway's marbled walls and carpeted floors creating an incredibly disturbing screeching noises that led to the destruction of the perfectly assembled hallway to her quarters. Zeba began flinching in fright as the moving mass of water in a figure of a three-inched nail came circling around her scratching their way to destroy the floor but this didn't affect Karr at all. He didn't even cringe and just bowed his head to avoid the fast-moving splinters that has been moving all around, calm and unaffected as he is.

”Why do they have to fight my plan!!!” shouted Prodea. ”Karr!”

”Yes, your highness.”

”Grab thirty Medical Casters and camp to the northwest near Bakunawa's Shrine after which, meet me here tomorrow to accompany me to Bakunawa.”

”Understood.” With that reply he immediately vanished as if he's perfected the Great Dash creating a huge crack on the floor in the process of his jump. Zeba felt she's been cheated leaving her alone with Prodea. He would've continued thinking how lucky Karr got out quickly as he can, but the ranting Grand Princess yelled yet again disrupting her thoughts.

”Zeba!”

”Y-yes, your highness…” she replied flinching.

”Clean this up! I do not want to see this mess in the morning!”

”Yes y-your highness…”

”And clear your plans tonight after dinner. You'll be helping me all night to fuse a new Amplifyer. Tomorrow will be a very, very busy day!”

-------ooO0Ooo-------

”There you are!”

Kayzar was surprised with the sudden voice behind him and in a split second he threw a pin aiming precisely to the neck of the mysterious shadow on top of the tree kneeling on its wide branch.

”Hey,” complained the soft voice of the woman after instantaneously flicking the fine needle away with her finger covered in black leather gloves, ”is this how you greet your sister?”

”Ate-Liv!” Kayzar laughed shouting as he fixed himself waiting for his sister, unsheathing his daggers and locking the poisonous pins he managed to activate.” I haven't seen you in years!”

She landed off from the tree looking as if a feather touching the earth, landing on the ground gently without so much as an effort on her part, lacking no signs of disturbance among the vegetation that is scattered almost everywhere. ”Impressive as ever!” he immediately shouted seeing the feat.

”Why thank you,” she replied picking the shiny silvery needle on the ground, walking near him now emerging to grant the sun's invitation to partake its bright radiance. ”I believe this is the present I gave you last year and seeing just how you can throw this away without flinching clearly offends me.”

She has a small pair of kind smiling eyes with its noticeable rare violet hue grabbing anyone's attention with its beauty and brilliance beyond compare. Her prized smooth straight hair is black and long reaching her hips with bangs that cut to level her eyes which are amazingly steady as the wind blows the other strands on her back to sway. Her usual long loose black leather trench coat is intimidating but is considered to be awe-inspiring to Kayzar thinking on how many weapons it could conceal – which his sister usually does fill with poisonous weapons and daggers. She is six years older than him but her flawless face tells otherwise making her look like she's right in their age.

”We'll I know you won't be. You're the one teaching me how to throw it, remember?”

”True. But it's a shame seeing you waste one of Dal'Gur's fine unbreakable pins.”

”W-wait… what!? That's a Dal'Gur?” Kayzar shouted on top of his lungs in deep regret and shock thinking about the other pins he threw away and didn't bother to get back.

”What do you expect!? It's your birthday! It's the by-product of your weird customs of expensive gift givings which is practically almost impossible to deliver. I've paid Dal'Gur a hefty sum just to make you a set.”

”B-but you didn't say that!”

”I did. Well, granted It's a twenty set in a wooden case inside a cheap wool pouch which is delivered by mail, but in my defense, I spent a lot of money on that and I didn't have the time to get an expensive box and ribbon. I'm sorry, your highness, I didn't give you a card too. Sheesh… Why d'ya have to be so picky! I thought you have a keen eye on these sorts of things.”

Kayzar just grumbled in irritation as he remembers he only has eight of them left including the pin his sister returned back to him. The other pins are at the training grounds all sleeping with the rest of the other poisoned pins at the training grounds when they battled Narra's disciples. This thought just gave him another worrisome job of getting back the pins he lost there but that, he thinks, could wait considering that the pins might be buried now on the ground.

”Your skills have been improving tremendously,” Liv continued smiling, shaking his head changing the topic. ”What do they feed you in the Palace?”

Kayzar laughed as he invited her out to see the thundering cloud ahead of them.

”Here check this out. Lemme' show you somethin'”

Kayzar extended his arms straight opening his palms, putting them in front leveling his face while standing straight as an arrow as his Amplifyers glow. Then a floating blue sapphire orb, the size of a fist emerged from his bag and radiated its intense blue hue in activation. Liv went closer in awe, befuddled with his two Amplifyers.

”How'd you get…”

”Shh…” interrupted Kayzar, ”I'm just getting ready.”

He pressed his palms together and the dark cloud forming straight ahead began to come closer, crackling its bright thunders inside.

Liv pulled her favorite black foot-long dagger on her back, made of pure metal from the blade to the hilt, and threw it on the ground. ”Yit'ard, Kayzar! We have to run! The Caster's Cloud is on to us!”

Liv was about to pull him when he suddenly moved his hands and fling the long dagger away almost fifty feet burying it on one of the trees there. He looked at her snickering as if mocking her sister, ”Really? Of all the pranks that we put you on when we were little you didn't even flinched but now, you're afraid of the Kulog Pass's Caster Cloud?”

”Kayzar,” she nervously said bumping him, grabbing his shoulders almost shaking, ”whatever it is you're planning, I'm not liking it.”

”Just stay close to me. I got this under control.”

The huddled dark cloud stops as it managed to stay on top of them, grumbling as if it's ready to unleash its full fury.

”Are you ready?” Kayzar shouted out loud beating the roaring tempest that's been swirling all around them. ”Here it comes!”

He drops both his hands down and clenched his fists. The emerging blue sphere's light intensified to neon blue and then the wrath of the Caster's Cloud began to strike the ground in a frenzy creating a deafening uproar all around. Liv screamed and screamed in fear as she pulled his body, hugging him tight. The noise that the thunderbolts created masked away her crazy bellows. Kayzar didn't seem to notice her because of this as he direct his attention appreciating the marvelous array of the spectacular bursts of lightning all around them. A smokescreen engulfed them in a matter of seconds as they both smell the burning earth left behind by the rampaging cloud. She stopped screaming and found the amazing display of light mixing hues with the mist creating inspiring flowing rainbows all around and came to appreciate it together with him.

He released his clenched fists and then the cloud's angry rumble started to stop. It turned white as it retreats to where it is earlier and then returned to black once more only to grumble its fury somewhere far.

Liv punched Kayzar on his right arm moving him two steps back.

”Ouch!” he shouted with his left hand tending the painful area, rubbing it with his palms.

”DON'T YOU EVER DO THAT TO ME 6AGAIN!!!” she screeched as she abruptly fixed her hair and her bangs which stubbornly stands up as it reluctantly fights to return down to their proper place that is originally perfectly combed.

”Geez, I told you not to punch me! This is my good arm! And you know it's gonna leave a sore mark tomorrow!”

”Well that'll be a reminder not to mess with me,” she grunted angry but whispered, ”but then again, it is interesting.”

”What's that? What did you say?”

”Shut up I said it's interesting! But don't you ever try to do that again in front of me!”

”Okay okay! Relax!” shouted Kayzar flinching as Liv taunted again to punch him.

”Hey look,” she exclaimed suddenly happy stepping backwards after the smoke subsided reading her name. ”It wrote something on the floor!”

”Check it out and see for yourself!” Kayzar smiled pointing at the nearest tree.

Liv dashed on and, in a matter of seconds, she arrived at the top reading the etched earth saying: LIV WENT CRYING LIKE A BABY FOR SOME SILLY LIGHTNING.

A sudden punch on his left arm surprised him as he was thrown to a couple of steps sideways shouting. ”HEY! That's not fair! I'll tell on you when we reach the north!” He was amazed to see Liv's speed almost spontaneously traversing from the tree to him in a split second.

”Well she won't believe you anyway.” She said as she zoomed to grab her long dagger and carved the ground to bury the statement. ”Don't ever tell a soul about this or I will cut you!”

”Yeah, Yeah, sure. So, why are you here anyway? Mom sent you?”

She stood up ignoring him in a bit almost finishing burying the statement on the ground. She pulled a black cloth and started wiping her blade and then she placed the dagger in its sheath at her back. She noticed her name being still evident and, like a kid having her tantrums, she kicked the ground tossing the soil around in her efforts to fully conceal any evidence of the statement linking her and her fears.

”I'm searching for Yosh. He went missing last month so I've been scouring the eastern parts of the Lakas Mountain range in hopes of finding him. So far, I've searched everywhere but haven't found him yet. So maybe he's on the other side due west.”

”He's the best hunter I know,” He replied sitting down to rest looking at his arm for possible injuries smiling, ”Good luck tracing his steps. I can't even find him when we're playing hide and seek. Even better than you considering I always find you first almost immediately before Karus which is kind of pathetic for a Daomagar.”

Liv squinted looking at him which he noted.

”Hey? I don't want to offend you and all but you're hiding skills are really just embarrassing.”

Liv snickered as she went near him, ”I would've made fun of your comment there but, because of your skills in hiding yourself too well, I'll just let it pass.”

”What? The great and oh powerful Liv found it hard to find me too?”

”Shush and keep it to yourself, it's not that important.”

Kayzar just smiled asking, ”So, what do you want from me then?”

”I'm here to offer you my promise.”

”REALLY!!!” shouted Kayzar standing up in excitement.

”Geez, come on! Don't be such a crazy monkey all shouting. Keep it down or you'll burst my sensitive ears off.”

”When do we start!?”

”Not now… Goodness Kayzar what's wrong with you.” Liv replied with creased eyebrows almost surprised, ”When did you turn like Karus? I thought you're the serious one?”

Kayzar pouted and crossed his arms. ”Well are you trying to trick me again!? You said that last time! And the last time before that! You're really getting older promising me that.”

”Well, clearly you haven't had the proper attire for our little debacle and you do not have rations needed for five days,” she explained almost looking disgusted as she point to his dirty travel gear covered in mud, ”Clearly you're not ready today.” She pulled an envelope out of her long trench coat on her left inside pocket and threw it to him then turned around to walk away.

”Wait? You're leaving? We barely talked to catch up!”

”I got important things to do,” she shouted still walking away without turning her head. ”Meet you up tomorrow.”

”What's this?” he shouted beating her before dashing.

”That's the itinerary to the rendezvous point. All things are explained there and please do not be late.” And with that cryptic message she disappeared blowing Kayzar's mind out, still amazed on how she can magically disappear in the bright sun without any trace of any disturbance to her surroundings, not even to the grass she's stepping. He got extremely excited though, seeing she's going to teach him how to complete the ultimate dash, her secret Shadow Step.

-------ooO0Ooo-------

”Master Yiv,” greeted the two shadows kneeling to a bow to greet Liv as she entered a dark forest a quarter of a mile south of Kayzar.

She walked near them with glaring murderous eyes, the eyes of a person devoid of a soul. The two just bowed low in fear with the muscular man breaking their silence with his deep voice.

”We're sorry Master! Kayzar slipped pas' us 'an we can't do nutin' 'bout it!”

”Yes!” seconded the tensed girl at his right side with almost a screeching voice immediately returning her deep tone as soon as she noticed it. ”I-I don't know what he did. It seems too impossible too; quite puzzling even for me but Kayzar has perfected the Dash together with his brother Karus. And – and…”

”And what?” Liv asked with her cold disturbing voice with her violet eyes now turning blood red. ”You haven't? DO YOU MEAN TO IMPLY THAT I DIDN'T TEACH YOU ENOUGH TO REACH YOUR FULL POTENTIALS? THAT I DIDN'T TEACH YOU TO DASH TOO?”

”We're sorry Master,” saved the muscular man, ”Ye've 'tot us well.”

”Then Auric, since you have been rather talkative today, would you be so kind as to tell Argentis how much time I needed to find Kayzar on my own.”